creating your dream kitchen island

A luxurious kitchen island can quickly transform into the hub of the home. It has the ability to seamlessly connect your kitchen to your living or dining room, so that family and friends can easily gather and enjoy time together.

When designing your dream kitchen island, there are a handful of considerations that can have a big impact on how you utilise the space. Read on, as we give you the low-down on how to make sure your kitchen island lives up to your dreams. 

consider your sink and stove placement

The importance of optimal placement of a sink or stove can often be overlooked. Our tip is to consider your lifestyle and how you plan to use the space first. For example, if you’re a keen entertainer, we suggest you do not include a sink in your island bench design, as this will eat into precious bench and entertaining space. Instead, place it on a back bench, that way any mess is tucked away out of sight too!

In contrast, you may not like to having your back turned to friends and family when preparing a meal or doing any washing up. If this is you, placing your sink and/or stove on your kitchen island would be a better fit.

incorporate storage

There’s more beyond the surface of your kitchen island! When designing your island, consider the potential for a great storage solution to keep your benchtop clutter-free. You could place base cabinets back-to-back to create an oversized island with dual access storage. This will give you lots of useable space, which you can use to tuck away crockery or appliances you don’t use regularly. We would suggest including drawer cabinets on the gallery side and doors opposite. This will aesthetically look better and will mean you can include an overhang for any bar stools as well.

To inject some extra personality into your space, you could instead opt for open shelving on the galley side.

If you’re a keen cook and intend to use your island as prep station, you won’t want to skip on the convenience of incorporating an integrated bin to get rid of food waste in one action. 

be bold with colour and texture

A kitchen island is often the central element of your kitchen and has the potential to be a real show-stopper. As island cabinetry is below your direct line of sight, it’s the perfect opportunity to be bold with colour. The timeless combination of deep blue cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware oozes sophistication, but the options are endless if you opt for our paint your own doors range.

The benchtop you select can also provide a different textural element to elevate your space. Timber-look laminate benchtops perfectly soften a space while also adding subtle country-style character. Concrete-look benchtops add a rustic industrial appeal, and marble or stone-look benchtops are sure to provide a luxurious touch without the price tag.  

When it comes to aesthetics and durability, it’s comforting to know they are both very similarly aligned these days. Laminate benchtops have come a long way, and require little to no maintenance, are durable and stain resistant which is perfect for families.

We hope you’ve taken away some helpful considerations to start designing your dream kitchen island! For more ideas and information, visit our design blog or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.